


Like a Virgin: Why Sherlock is Not One

by Astus



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Experienced Sherlock, M/M, Meta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-25
Updated: 2015-09-28
Packaged: 2018-04-17 06:30:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4656192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astus/pseuds/Astus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Meta that tries to establish Sherlock's lack of virginity using BBC canon, and possibly some speculation, but not till the end.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Establishing Sherlock's Sexuality

**Author's Note:**

> This is not finished yet, but is intended to be multi chaptered. This is my first posting here. Try to be gentle with me.

Sherlock is not asexual, or straight. He is gay, or possibly bisexual, considering his attraction to Irene Adler. This is the first point that must be established in order to set up the rest of the meta. So, how do we know that Sherlock is attracted to men? Well, let's look at the evidence. Sherlock never said that he wasn't gay. When he clearly indicated he wasn't interested in women. Sex is not what's “not [his] area”, but sex with women is. When we examine the transcript of “A Study in Pink” this is clear.

JOHN: You don’t have a girlfriend, then?

SHERLOCK (still looking out of the window): Girlfriend? No, not really my area.

JOHN: Mm. (A moment passes before he realises the possible significance of this statement.)

JOHN: Oh, right. D’you have a boyfriend? (Sherlock looks round at him sharply.)

JOHN: Which is fine, by the way.

SHERLOCK: I know it’s fine. (John smiles to indicate that he wasn’t signifying anything negative by what he said.)

JOHN: So you’ve got a boyfriend then?

SHERLOCK: No.

JOHN (still smiling, though his smile is becoming a little fixed and awkward): Right. Okay. You’re unattached. Like me. (He looks down at his plate, apparently rapidly running out of things to say.) Fine. (He clears his throat.) Good. (He continues eating. Sherlock looks at him suspiciously for a moment but then turns his attention out of the window again. However, he then appears to replay John’s statement in his head and looks a little startled. Turning his head towards John again, he starts speaking rather awkwardly but rapidly speeds up and is almost babbling by the time John interrupts him.)

SHERLOCK: John, um ... I think you should know that I consider myself married to my work, and while I’m flattered by your interest, I’m really not looking for any ...

JOHN (interrupting): No. (He turns his head briefly to clear his throat.) No, I’m not asking. No. (He fixes his gaze onto Sherlock’s, apparently trying to convey his sincerity.)

JOHN: I’m just saying, it’s all fine. (Sherlock looks at him for a moment, then nods.)

SHERLOCK: Good. Thank you.**

Sherlock says he doesn't have a boyfriend. He never says he isn't interested in men. In fact, at the end of this little interlude John again repeats that “it's all fine.” Referring to Sherlock's sexuality, to which Sherlock responds, “Good. Thank you.” Yes, the viewer could take this as thanks for understanding that I don't want to date you, but I'm guessing that's not what it means since the line comes after John's reiteration. Sherlock is thanking him for not having a problem with his sexuality. (It's also interesting that John doesn't say that he's not gay in this scene, but I digress.) So, right from the first episode we have established Sherlock's sexuality. Which is gay. There is another scene on the show which also clearly states Sherlock's sexuality. It doesn't come until season three. Let's see what it says. This is from “The Empty Hearse.”

Sherlock Holmes: Fancy some chips?

Molly Hooper: What?

Sherlock Holmes: I know a fantastic fish shop just off the Marlament road. The owner always gives me extra portions.

Molly Hooper: Did you get him off a murder charge?

Sherlock Holmes: Nope, **I helped him put up some shelves**. ***

The emphasis is mine. Now, what does that mean? According to Urban Dictionary it means “the act of banging a girl by means of stopping by her room for a visit upon her request.” Sherlock banged this guy, which is why he gets extra fish and chips. Which helps my argument twofold. One, Sherlock is attracted to men, and two, Sherlock is not a virgin, according to Sherlock. I'm going to talk about what other people think of his sexuality later, and how they're wrong. :) The last point that I want to make to establish Sherlock's sexuality is his reaction to when people assume that John and he are a couple. Again, from “A Study in Pink.”

MRS HUDSON: What do you think, then, Doctor Watson? There’s another bedroom upstairs if you’ll be needing two bedrooms.

JOHN: Of course we’ll be needing two.

MRS HUDSON: Oh, don’t worry; there’s all sorts round here. (Confidentially, dropping her voice to a whisper by the end of the sentence) Mrs Turner next door’s got married ones. (John looks across to Sherlock, expecting him to confirm that he and John are not involved in that way but Sherlock appears oblivious to what’s being insinuated. Mrs Hudson walks across to the kitchen, then turns back and frowns at Sherlock.**

Sherlock does not correct Mrs. Hudson. Now the script says that Sherlock appears oblivious, and this could be used to argue that Sherlock is asexual, but I don't think so for a few reasons. I think the key word in that sentence is appears. If he is oblivious because he is not interested in sex or because he is virgin, then we would expect him to be oblivious in all cases where flirting or sex is involved. But this is not the case. When Moriarty and Sherlock first meet, he knows that Moriarty is hitting on him.

He's aware of what's being implied. In fact, he's aware of it more than anyone else in the room. But he doesn't react when Mrs. Hudson implies that John and he might not need different bedrooms, because he doesn't care. Mrs. Hudson automatically assuming they're a couple is interesting too, but we'll get to that in another section. Like the next one. So, now that we established Sherlock's sexuality, we can somewhat establish his sexual past, or a least that he has one. Bear with me, it'll come together. Stay tuned.


	2. People React to Sherlock and John

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title says it all.

Last time we established that Sherlock is gay, or possibly bisexual. This time we're going to delve deeper into Sherlock's experience with men in canon. While canon doesn't state explicitly who Sherlock has been with sexually, like it does with John, we can infer that the people in his life have seen him with men in the past. We can also infer that he was romantically and sexually linked with these men. How, you ask? By examining his family and friends' reactions to John in "A Study in Pink."

So, the first reaction we see to someone seeing John and Sherlock together is Mrs. Hudson. I discussed Sherlock's reaction to Mrs. Hudson's insinuation to John and Sherlock being a couple in the last chapter. Let's look at the dialogue again, in case a reminder is needed.

MRS HUDSON: What do you think, then, Doctor Watson? There’s another bedroom upstairs if you’ll be needing two bedrooms.

JOHN: Of course we’ll be needing two.

MRS HUDSON: Oh, don’t worry; there’s all sorts round here. (Confidentially, dropping her voice to a whisper by the end of the sentence) Mrs Turner next door’s got married ones. (John looks across to Sherlock, expecting him to confirm that he and John are not involved in that way but Sherlock appears oblivious to what’s being insinuated. Mrs Hudson walks across to the kitchen, then turns back and frowns at Sherlock.**

Mrs. Hudson assumes that Sherlock and John are a couple. Why is this significant? Because we know that Sherlock and Mrs. Hudson know each other. She is not a stranger, but she still assumes that Sherlock and John are having sex. The most likely explanation for this assumption is that she has seen Sherlock with men before. She knows Sherlock is gay. She is not surprised that Sherlock is moving in with a man. Which means that she is not surprised because she knows Sherlock has sex. Maybe she's playing it cool. However, when you look at the evidence that is probably not the case. The evidence being the other reactions to John and Sherlock.

The next reaction we see is Mycroft's. This is the only reaction that is seen when Sherlock and John aren't physically together. John is by himself. I think there are two important parts to this conversation. Here is the first:

M: What is your connection to Sherlock Holmes?  
JOHN: I don’t have one. I barely know him. I met him ...  
_(He looks away thoughtfully, then appears surprised as if he hadn’t realised until now how little time has passed.)_  
JOHN: ... yesterday.  
M: Mmm, and since yesterday you’ve moved in with him and now you’re solving crimes together. Might we expect a happy announcement by the end of the week? **

So, what is the important part? The “happy announcement” of course. Yes, I'm aware that it could be argued that Mycroft is joking. In fact this is a pretty strong argument considering what he later says in “A Scandal in Belgravia.” Just bear with me. We're going to get to that in another section. When we get there, I'll make sure to refer you back to this section. Trust me for now. Continuing on, it is known that “happy announcement” refers to a marriage or possibly an engagement which leads to marriage. Marriage is a romantic and sexual union. The next part of this meeting that we're going to look at should strengthen my somewhat weak argument for now.

M: If you _do_ move into, um ... two hundred and twenty-one _B_ Baker Street, I’d be happy to pay you a meaningful sum of money on a regular basis to ease your way.  
_(He closes the notebook and puts it away again.)_  
JOHN: Why?  
M: Because you’re not a wealthy man.  
JOHN: In exchange for what?  
M: Information. Nothing indiscreet. Nothing you’d feel ... uncomfortable with. Just tell me what he’s up to. **

The wording here is very significant, but what is most significant is the pause. Mycroft tells John that he's willing to pay him for information on Sherlock. But there would be nothing that he would have to report on that he would find “indiscreet” or that he would “feel . . .uncomfortable with.” Both “indiscreet” and “uncomfortable” imply information that is private in nature. However, the pause between feel and uncomfortable is what alludes to sex. It is a pause that was put there on purpose. 

It is clear that the pause was written into the script. When Mycroft was telling John that he wouldn't have to report on something private, he put a significant pause in. Why? Because he thinks sooner or later that Sherlock and John will be having sex. Why else would the pause be there? We are supposed to think of sex. Mycroft, like Mrs. Hudson, knows that Sherlock is gay. He insinuates that Sherlock and John might be having sex in the future. He is not surprised by this, in fact he expects it. He is reassuring John that he will not have to report on their sexscapades. This does not sound like someone who thinks their brother is uninterested in sex.

In case you need even more evidence, don't worry there is still one more reaction to examine. Angelo's.

ANGELO: On the house, for you _and_ for your date.  
SHERLOCK _(to John)_ : Do you want to eat?  
JOHN _(to Angelo)_ : I’m not his date.  
ANGELO: This man got me off a murder charge.  
SHERLOCK: This is Angelo.  
_(Angelo offers his hand to John, who shakes it.)_  
SHERLOCK: Three years ago I successfully proved to Lestrade at the time of a particularly vicious triple murder that Angelo was in a completely different part of town, house-breaking.  
ANGELO _(to John)_ : He cleared my name.  
SHERLOCK: I cleared it a _bit_. Anything happening opposite?  
ANGELO: Nothing. _(He looks at John again.)_ But for this man, I’d have gone to prison.  
SHERLOCK: You _did_ go to prison.  
ANGELO _(to John)_ : I’ll get a candle for the table. It’s more romantic.

Angelo automatically assumes, just like Mrs. Hudson, that Sherlock and John are having sex. What is hugely significant here is the same as what was significant with Mrs. Hudson. Angelo is not a stranger to Sherlock. Angelo is someone that he has helped before. Sherlock visits his restaurant sometimes. Why would Angelo assume that John was Sherlock's date? Because he has seen Sherlock on a date. Sherlock has brought men to the restaurant before. This is not directly stated, but is certainly indirectly stated through Angelo's assumption. Let's just think about this. If you saw two men enter a restaurant together, would you automatically think that they were a couple, or on a date? Probably not. People tend to think that people are straight until they have reason to think otherwise. Angelo has reason to think otherwise, and the reason that seems most plausible is that he has seen Sherlock with men before. He assumes that Sherlock and John are on a date because he knows Sherlock is gay. And while it is possible that Sherlock told Angelo he was gay, it is not very likely. Sherlock is not very forthcoming with information about himself. I mean John is his best friend and he tells him jack shit.

In conclusion, we have seen three different people react to Sherlock and John. All of these people know Sherlock. All of them assume that Sherlock is banging John, or will be banging John. This reinforces that Sherlock is gay, but it also implies that Sherlock is not as pure as the driven snow. He might not have had relationships, which will be discussed in a future section, but he has probably had sex.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ** Transcript from http://arianedevere.livejournal.com/


	3. Other People's Statements on Sherlock's Virginity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What it says on the tin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter is a little short. Next one should be considerably longer. May take me a little time to get it out. But it will be posted. Promise. :)

Remember when I said that we were going to be getting into the statements of other people later? Well, this is the chapter! The statements that we will be looking at, are all from the same episode “A Scandal in Belgravia.” All of these statements state that Sherlock is a virgin. We will discuss all of them. First, the most important one. Which is Mycroft's. Mycroft is the most important one because Mycroft, as was discussed before, knows Sherlock. In fact, Mycroft probably knows Sherlock better than anyone. Considering all of his spying. So, let's look at the text.

MYCROFT: Irene Adler, professionally known as The Woman.

_(Arriving at an elegant house in London, Irene’s female chauffeur opens the car door for her and then precedes her into the house. Irene’s phone shows that it is downloading an image as she walks indoors.)_  
JOHN: Professionally?  
MYCROFT: There are many names for what she does. She prefers ‘dominatrix.’  
SHERLOCK _(thoughtfully)_ : Dominatrix.  
MYCROFT: Don’t be alarmed. It’s to do with sex.  
SHERLOCK: Sex doesn’t alarm me.  
MYCROFT _(smiling snidely at him)_ : How would you know?**

After Mycroft says this, Sherlock doesn't respond. That's important. He doesn't confirm what Mycroft has said. He doesn't say anything. The only thing that he says about sex in this scene is that “sex doesn't alarm [him].” I have a couple of theories about this. Remember when I said that in a previous chapter what Mycroft said to John was important. Here is where it comes into play. If you need to go back and read it, it's in chapter 2. One of my theories is that Mycroft is referring to sex with women. Remember he knows that Sherlock is gay. He made that clear to John. So, in the first episode it is established that Sherlock is gay, and that Mycroft knows this, and that he wouldn't be surprised if Sherlock and John had sex. But he has never seen Sherlock with a woman. He knows that Sherlock doesn't know anything about sex with a woman. My other theory about this is that he is being a bratty older brother. He wants to embarrass Sherlock in front of other people, because Sherlock embarrassed him, by coming naked and by making fun of him with John. He gets back at Sherlock by doing the same. Both are believable theories.

The next statements we hear are the same statement, pretty much. Irene says it, but it is what Moriarty told her. It's probably what they both believe.

IRENE: I can’t take all the credit. Had a bit of help.

_(She looks across to Sherlock.)_  
IRENE: Oh, Jim Moriarty sends his love.  
_(Sherlock raises his head.)_  
MYCROFT: Yes, he’s been in touch. Seems desperate for my attention ... _(his voice becomes more ominous)_... which I’m sure can be arranged.  
_(Unseen by the others, Sherlock’s gaze begins to sharpen as Irene stands up and walks round the table to sit on its edge nearer Mycroft.)_  
IRENE: I had all this stuff, never knew what to do with it. Thank God for the consultant criminal. Gave me a lot of advice about how to play the Holmes boys. D’you know what he calls you? _(Softly)_ The Ice Man ... _(she looks across to Sherlock)_... and the Virgin.**

This really doesn't count as evidence towards Sherlock's virginity. It's hearsay. Irene doesn't know this firsthand, she is repeating what Moriarty told her. It wouldn't be permissible in court. Therefore it is not a strong argument. I'm gonna argue against it anyway. Okay, in order to understand my argument you might have to read another meta. If you don't, you'll probably still be able to follow along, but the meta is really good. So, if you haven't read this meta, [M Theory by LSIT](http://loudest-subtext-in-television.tumblr.com/post/79041544289/m-theory-mycroft-moriarty-and-magnussens), go read it now. This meta will still be here when you get back. The main part of LSIT's theory that I want to reference is Moriarty's feelings for Sherlock. I firmly believe that Moriarty wants Sherlock to be his boyfriend. Sherlock doesn't return these feelings. Moriarty has a pretty big ego. I can see him saying that if Sherlock doesn't want him, it must be because he doesn't want anybody, and therefore he must be a virgin. Moriarty doesn't know, he assumes. Irene doesn't know, she is just repeating what Moriarty has told her. The argument that Sherlock must be a virgin because Moriarty or Irene says he is, is a very flimsy argument.

Okay, these were all the arguments for Sherlock's virginity. The only other statement that we hear about Sherlock's sex life comes from Sherlock himself. This statement was discussed in the first chapter. Sherlock, himself, identifies as sexually experienced. “I helped him put up some shelves,” is a pretty clear statement. What else could he be talking about? Whose statement holds the most significance? Sherlock's. In conclusion, no matter what Moriarty, Irene, or even Mycroft says, it doesn't trump what Sherlock says. And Sherlock says that he is not a virgin.

This was the last section that deals with straightforward readings of the text. The next section deals with subtext. Brace yourselves.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Transcripts from http://arianedevere.livejournal.com/.


	4. Hungry like the Wolf

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dinner and food in BBC Sherlock, and how it relates to relationships and sex.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All subtext and metaphor. Enjoy.

This is subtext people, and metaphor. It may seem a little out there, but I promise it deals with canon. It's just my argument for a particular analysis of canon. If you don't agree that's fine. Okay, lots of stuff to get to here. Food is a very important part of Sherlock. Really, you ask. Yes, really. First it needs to be established that the idea of having dinner relates to having a relationship. We get get this from “A Scandal in Belgravia.” 

_(Irene looks down at her phone and starts to read back messages she has sent to Sherlock.)_  
IRENE: “Good morning”; “I like your funny hat”; “I’m sad tonight. Let’s have dinner” ...  
_(John looks round at her, startled.)_  
IRENE:... “You looked sexy on ‘Crimewatch.’ Let’s have dinner”; “I’m not hungry, let’s have dinner”.  
_(John stares at her in disbelief.)_  
JOHN: **You ...** _ **flirted**_ **with Sherlock Holmes?!**  
IRENE _(still looking at her phone)_ : _At_ him. He never replies.  
JOHN: No, Sherlock _always_ replies – to _everything_. He’s Mr Punchline. He will outlive God trying to have the last word.  
IRENE: Does that make me special?  
JOHN: ... I don’t know. Maybe.  
IRENE: Are you jealous?  
JOHN: We’re not a couple.  
IRENE: Yes you are. There ...  
_(She holds up her phone to show John the screen, although he’s too far away to read it. She tells him what she has typed anyway.)_  
IRENE: “I’m not dead. Let’s have dinner.”**

The emphasis is mine. John is pointing out that “Let's have dinner,” is flirting with Sherlock. That's canon. Irene is flirting with Sherlock by asking him to dinner. Now let's establish how dinner means relationship. Some of it is obvious. When you ask somebody out to dinner that you are sexually interested in, it's most often considered a date. Dating leads to relationships. Therefore dinner is a prelude to relationships. We see this in “A Study in Pink,” when Angelo assumes that Sherlock and John are a couple because they are having dinner. He even offers a candle for the table to make it more “romantic.” Dinner is romance. It's also important that John says they're “not a couple,” and Irene responds with “Yes you are” during this dinner conversation. Guess who Sherlock does have dinner with?***

That's right. John. His partner. Yes, Sherlock doesn't eat at these dinners and that's important. But he goes. I said previously that Sherlock might not have experience with relationships, and I think it's likely that he doesn't, which is why he doesn't eat at dinner. Remember dinners are relationships and romance. The second part of this is that how do we know Irene is interested in more than just sex from Sherlock. Because Sherlock deduces it. (This is long part of the transcript, but we need it all for analysis promise.)

SHERLOCK _(in a more normal voice)_ : I imagine John Watson thinks love’s a mystery to me but the chemistry is incredibly simple, and very destructive.  
_(He turns and walks a few paces away from her. She follows behind him until he turns and faces her again.)_  
SHERLOCK: When we first met, you told me that disguise is always a self-portrait. How true of you: the combination to your safe – your measurements; but this … _(he tosses the phone into the air and catches it again)_... this is far more intimate.  
_**(He pulls up the security lock with its**_ **“** **I AM ---- LOCKED”** _ **screen.**_ **  
****SHERLOCK: This is your heart ...**  
_(Without breaking his gaze into her eyes, he punches in the first of the four characters with his thumb.)_  
SHERLOCK: ... and you should _never_ let it rule your head.  
_(She stares at him, trying to stay calm but the panic is beginning to show behind her eyes.)_  
SHERLOCK: You could have chosen any random number and walked out of here today with everything you’ve worked for ...  
_(He punches in the second character, his eyes still locked on hers.)_  
SHERLOCK: ... but you just couldn’t resist it, could you?  
_(Her breathing becomes heavier. Sherlock smiles briefly and triumphantly.)_  
**SHERLOCK: I’ve always assumed that love is a dangerous disadvantage ...** **  
****(He hits the third character, still gazing at her.)** **  
****SHERLOCK: Thank you for the final proof.** **  
****(He lifts his thumb again but before he can type in the fourth character, she seizes his hand and gazes up at him intensely.)**  
IRENE _(softly)_ : Everything I said: it’s not real. _(In a whisper)_ I was just playing the game.  
SHERLOCK _(in a whisper)_ : I know.  
_(Gently pulling his hand free, he types in the final character.)_  
SHERLOCK: And this is just losing.  
_(Slowly he turns the phone towards her and shows her the screen. She looks down at it, tears spilling from her eyes as she reads the sequence which says:_  
**I AM  
****SHER  
****LOCKED**  
_She gazes down at the screen in despair for a few seconds, then Sherlock lifts the phone away and holds it out towards Mycroft even as the phone unlocks and presents its menu.)_  
SHERLOCK _(his eyes still fixed on Irene’s)_ : There you are, brother. I hope the contents make up for any inconvenience I may have caused you tonight.  
MYCROFT: I’m certain they will.  
_(He takes the phone and Sherlock turns and begins to walk towards the door.)_  
SHERLOCK: If you’re feeling kind, lock her up; otherwise let her go. I doubt she’ll survive long without her protection.  
_(Irene stares after him, her eyes wide with dread.)_  
IRENE: Are you expecting me to beg?  
SHERLOCK _(flatly, calmly)_ : Yes.  
_(He stops near the door, his face in profile to her. She stares at him in anguish for several seconds, then realises that she has no choice.)_  
IRENE: Please.  
_(He doesn’t move.)_  
IRENE: You’re right.  
_(Now he turns to look at her.)_  
IRENE _(staring at him pleadingly)_ : I won’t even last six months.  
**SHERLOCK: Sorry about dinner.****

Again, the emphasis is mine. From this conversation that Sherlock has with Irene we know that Irene is in love with Sherlock. We also know that Sherlock does not feel the same, and that he knows what the implications of dinner are. He is rejecting her offer of a relationship. It is canon that dinner equals relationships. Why is this important? As I pointed out, Sherlock does go to dinner with John. He doesn't eat because they are not in a relationship. At least not yet. But the fact that he goes with him shows that he is interested in one. How does this relate to Sherlock's lack of virginity? Well, if dinner equals relationships, then it makes sense that food equals sex. This actually isn't that farfetched. Food and sex have been linked for quite some time, in literature ( _Like_ _Water for Chocolate)_ , movies ( _91/2 Weeks)_ and art. We equate food with sex constantly. For example, we call pretty pictures of food, food porn. Food equaling sex doesn't just occur in Sherlock. There is a wider basis for it.

Sherlock does eat. Not very often, but it happens. Let's look at some examples.***

Behold, Sherlock eats! These are not the only examples of Sherlock eating on the show. So we know he eats. It's just usually when he is shown eating, it's quick. Standing up, on the move. Merely satisfying his body's needs. Hmmm. Although he is having a having a meal here with John where they are both eating, it is breakfast not dinner. Sherlock eats. If food is equal to sex, like dinner is equal to relationships then Sherlock is not a virgin. One more quick point. And yes I know I keep coming back to this same line, this same point. But it's important. “I helped him put up some shelves.” Remember that? Who did Sherlock bang again? The fish and chips guy. And what did he get out of it besides sex? Extra fish and chips. Take of that what you will.

Next time, speculation that has nothing to do with BBC canon. Woo-hoo!

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Transcripts come from http://arianedevere.livejournal.com/.  
> ***The images in order are from:  
> http://rebloggy.com/post/mine-sherlock-martin-freeman-sherlock-holmes-benedict-cumberbatch-john-watson-bb/34308381768  
> http://sherlock.boardhost.com/viewtopic.php?id=5367  
> http://buddy2blogger.blogspot.com/2013_09_01_archive.html  
> http://sherlock.boardhost.com/viewtopic.php?id=4062&p=19  
> http://thenorwoodbuilder.tumblr.com/post/39571786592/favourite-screencaps-of-the-day-just-to-prove-a  
> http://beta.diary.ru/~senshiro/?tag=4491&from=40


	5. Speculation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Speculation AKA things that probably aren't true at least in BBC canon, since they are based on zero evidence.

Okay, so this is a speculation chapter. I have no textual evidence for anything that I am about to discuss. At least in BBC canon. Some of this might be contradictory to what I have said in previous chapters. Be warned. You can completely ignore this chapter if you wish. All the analysis has been done. For those who decided to stick around and read wild speculation, welcome! Let's get to the speculating!

Sherlock, both in BBC canon and in the novels by ACD, does drugs. In BBC canon he is described as an addict several times, Lestrade does a drug raid on his apartment, and Mycroft worries about “danger nights.” We also can speculate that Sherlock does not get paid for his work with the police. He is a private investigator as well, and he does get paid for those cases, as well as receiving expensive gifts. This probably changes when he is on drugs. I doubt he is able to focus as well. In fact, in “His Last Vow,” he states that he doesn't need the work when he's got drugs.

SHERLOCK _(a little louder but still quieter than we’re used to hearing him speak)_ : You’re a man who couldn’t stay in the suburbs for more than a month without storming a crack den and beating up a junkie. **Your best friend is a sociopath who solves crimes as an alternative to getting high.** **

If he's getting high, he doesn't have to solve crimes in order not to be bored. So, if Sherlock gets the majority of his income from private investigation, how did he make money when he was on drugs? I'm pretty sure Mycroft wouldn't have given him money. He loves his brother. He's not going to enable his brother's drug habit. I am speculating that perhaps Sherlock might have funded his drug habit through prostitution.

“According to Calvin Trent, the Director of the Bureau of Substance Abuse Prevention, Treatment and Recovery in Detroit, Michigan, 70% of street prostitutes are addicted to drugs or alcohol.”***

Yes, this is an American statistic. But it could still apply to Sherlock. It would also explain why he appears to be celibate when he's sober, if he sees sex as a means to an end and if it has bad connotations for him. But this contradicts the fish and chips guy, so take with a grain of salt.

The next speculation comes just from ACD. Nothing has been mentioned in BBC canon about this at all. However, it is somewhat relevant since Gatiss and Moffat draw directly from ACD canon. I want to discuss Victor Trevor. I'm aware that he is only in one story, which is “The Adventure of the Gloria Scott.” If you haven't read it, and are interested in doing so. Victor and Sherlock were friends during their university years. While it isn't explicitly stated that Victor and Sherlock were lovers, I believe that this was the case. The main reason is that Sherlock went home with Victor to Victor's father's estate, and stayed with him for a month. If it is accepted that Sherlock is gay in ACD canon as well as BBC canon, it is easy to postulate that Victor and Sherlock might have been more than friends. There is a great blog about Sherlock's sexuality in ACD canon, and on it you will find meta about every story with Sherlock Holmes. I highly recommend that you read it. [Here it is.](http://www.nekosmuse.com/withlovesh/?tag=decoding-the-subtext%20) It also has more of in depth analysis of Victor's and Sherlock's relationship. It's a lot of meta. Just read them one at a time. Pace yourself. But if you're interested in a canonically gay Sherlock, please read them. Seriously, I cannot praise this analysis enough. I'm not sure if we will see Victor Trevor on BBC Sherlock. I'd like it if we did. Jealous!John sounds nice.

So, that's all my speculation. Which means this meta is complete. I'm very sad. Stay tuned for more meta in the future. It might be slow in coming, but it'll happen.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Transcripts from http://arianedevere.livejournal.com/  
> ***From http://www.edrugrehab.com/addiction-and-prostitution

**Author's Note:**

> **Transcript taken from arianedevere.livejournal.com  
> ***Transcript taken from imdb


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